Cloé Kerhoas Özmen
On the steps of the Old Mosque in Edirne, Turkey, I took this photo almost without thinking. For a long time, I’ve been touched by what I perceive here: a deep sense of community, a human warmth, a simplicity in sharing. Something that contrasts with the apparent coldness of my own country (France). These men, smiling, gathered in an ordinary moment, without any staging—just being present with one another—moved me. There is nothing extraordinary, and yet everything is there. For me, this image captures a kind of social ideal: one of simple, sincere connection—almost self-evident.
